Very impressed with your research, especially 1985!

Begs the question, why didn't Pud get naturalised sooner?

Mean Al Green?

Green was an import with the West Adelaide Bearcats but naturalised by the time he played with the 36ers.

I remember Simmons earlier than 1997 but I'll stand corrected where I sit. Didn't he replace Davis for a while?

If I recall correctly I thought Pud became an Australian citizen a few years before the NBL removed his status as an import. I vaguely recall there being criteria that prevented Davis playing as a local when he became a citizen. Or was that a FIBA requirement that prevented him playing for Australia?

Is my memory making a liar of me? Perhaps someone with a better memory or closer to Mark could verify that being correct.

You are correct Ads
36ers even tried to take BA to court to say it was illegal when trying to get Kelvin Henderson to play. They argued that you can not be an Australian citizen conditionally, you either are or you aren't.

Henderson was good enough to play NBL as and Aussie but not good enough to hold an import spot.

The judge sided with BA/ FIBA because the rule at the time was designed to stop overnight imports becoming naturalised purely to play ball. I believe that this was aimed more at worlds and olympics tournament teams but it flowed down to other comps

I believe you had to play for 2 years as an import despite being an Australian citizen. Fisher and Grace also fell into the same ruling.

KB that doesn't answer my question. He played 11 seasons before he was naturalised, with your answer he was an aussie two years before that, but what about the 9 years before that? Didn't he or the club realise they would both be better off after about 3 years?

You remember better than me, I think Kent. My recollection was that the player had to have been naturalised for 3 years before they could play as a local.

I recall discussions with friends about why Mark Davis did not decide to become an Australian citizen sooner. Those discussions led to the revelation that there was this time one had to play after becoming a citizen, before qualifying as a local.

I don't know when the league changed on that rule.

I think back then he had to renounce his american citizenship all together, the rule was relaxed to allow dual citizenship which triggered his aussieness.

I thought Pudd never planned on staying. He was always going back to the states to try and get an NBA gig. Just missing out on 2 occasions.

By the time he realised he was staying the import transition rules came in and he had to wait.

Think your right about big Wille Simmons MG.
Can remember him playing a couple of games in 93 and 94 when MD and Rob Rose were out injured.
He was to be our import in 95 once MD naturlised but Mike Mckay fell on his knee in a pre season game and put him out for the year.

Top work on the list,would be intrested in finding out more about the 1982 to 1984 teams,never seen any footage or pics from that era.

@Moses Guthrie

You are 100% correct about Willie Simmons, great memory.

1993 and 1994 should read like this :

1993 Mark Davis, Paris McCurdy, David Robinson, Willie Simmons (1 game)

1994 Mark Davis, Robert Rose, Willie Simmons (2 games)

There is some good footage of the West v Geelong 1982 GF on you tube. The entire game compressed into 8 minutes.